Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder in Pediatric Patient: Four Case Series and Review of the Literature

Background: Urothelial carcinoma of the bladder is a rare condition in children, and most cases in this age group are noninvasive and low-grade. However, no follow-up protocol has been defined for this patient group. The objective of this study was to draw attention to bladder tumors in children and focus on the current recommendations for postoperative follow-up along with a case study of four patients.

Case Report: Four patients aged <18 years with urothelial carcinoma who were treated in our clinics between 2001 and 2015 were retrospectively evaluated. The results were compared with those of published pediatric case series in the literature. No abnormalities were found in the patients’ physical examinations and laboratory analyses, except hematuria (microscopic or macroscopic). Ultrasonography was used in all the patients to detect lesions in the bladder. Surgical resections were performed endoscopically, except in one patient. Histopathological evaluations revealed low-grade superficial urothelial carcinoma. No recurrence or complication was observed for all patients.

Conclusion: Although rarely encountered during childhood, urothelial carcinoma should be considered as a differential diagnosis in pediatric patients with hematuria.